Charles WalkingChild
Montana Republican Senate nominee?
$3.3K
JUN 3, 2026Primary Election
Party selects its nominee.
Overview
Current roleEnvironmental contractor
PartyRepublican
Political ideologyPopulist Republican
GenderMale
LocationMontana
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BackgroundEnvironmental contractor
Notable personal detailsCharles Walking Child Sr. is a Republican candidate for the U.S. Senate in Montana. He is a Helena-area environmental contractor and owner of Rising Lightning Environmental Contractors LLC, an environmental remediation business. He previously ran in Republican primaries in Montana, including the 2024 U.S. Senate primary. He has described being born and raised in the Hill 57 community near Great Falls, Montana.
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Positions
Economy & Taxes
The candidate supports increasing taxes on wealthy individuals and taxing large corporations while abolishing wage taxes; he also favors using taxpayer dollars for expanded public education funding.
Healthcare
Public statements by Charles WalkingChild contain contradictory positions on healthcare: he expresses support for taxing large health corporations and at one point writes that there should be free health care for all Americans, while elsewhere indicates the government should not need to fund healthcare. He did not provide answers to a Montana Free Press questionnaire on health policy.
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Abortion & Reproductive Rights
The candidate opposes taxpayer funding for abortion providers and states that abortion should be handled at local (city/county) levels rather than by the federal government. He indicated support for in-person consultation and reporting requirements for chemical abortion drugs and did not provide a direct answer about circumstances for elective abortion. Overall, his responses reflect a position favoring restrictions and reduced federal involvement in abortion policy.
Climate & Energy
The candidate accepts that man-made climate change is a global threat and calls for urgent political action; he identifies dams and solar panels as reliable energy sources and supports expanding renewable energy. Responses indicate support for climate action and renewable energy rather than opposition to emissions regulation or prioritizing fossil fuels.
News
Charles WalkingChild is in the news because a Montana judge blocked a new state law that would have ended Election Day voter registration for federal races, including U.S. Senate contests. The ruling keeps same-day registration in place while a lawsuit continues, after the court said the restriction could disproportionately affect Native American and young voters. The case affects the rules for the upcoming Senate election, but it is separate from the race itself.
Montana voters will be able to register to vote on Election Day: judge
Montana Voters Will Be Able to Register to Vote on Election Day, Judge Rules
GOP debate on SAVE America Act morphs into ‘circular firing squad’
Montana officials react to Daines' Senate retirement
Endorsements
Endorsers of Charles WalkingChild for Montana Republican Senate nominee?
New updates coming soon
We're monitoring and will update when new data impacts the race.
- Polls
- Fundraising